Highlights | NZ vs SA Live Score Today South Africa National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team, 5th T20I Updates: Proteas Win Series 3-2 Against Blackcaps!

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NZ vs SA 5th T20I Live Score and Updates: South Africa continued their dominance over New Zealand in the shortest format as they clinched the five-match series. The Proteas, having lost two of the first three games, made a stunning comeback in the series. Connor Esterhuizen with the bat played a huge role as the visitors won back-to-back games to win the series.

The South African bowlers carried all the momentum from the first innings and struck twice in the power play. Wiaan Mulder and Ottneil Baartman dismissed Katene Clarke and Dane Cleaver, respectively. New Zealand continued to implode and lost the plot thanks to some careless running. Keshav Maharaj and Baartman struck again as the Blackcaps failed in the second innings. 

Earlier, South Africa finished with 187 runs on the board after the first innings. Wicketkeeper-batter, Connor Esterhuizen, played a blinder for South Africa. The right-hander dealt in boundaries during his 33-ball stay at the crease. 

SA vs NZ Toss Update: New Zealand won the toss in the crucial series decider and opted to bowl first at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.  

New Zealand Preview

New Zealand’s leading run-scorers in the series, Devon Conway and Tom Latham, missed out on the previous game. While Conway will miss the series-decider as he prepares for the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Latham was ruled out of the fifth T20I after a minor to his thumb. The Kiwis are without their regular captain, Mitchell Santner, for the last two games as he has already joined the Mumbai Indians before the IPL 2026. The hosts could field a lone-man spin-attack featuring Cole McConchie. In the absence of regular bowling attack leaders like Santner, Matt Henry, and Ish Sodhi, the hosts will turn to Ben Sears to continue his fine form. The right-arm pacer has already picked up six wickets in the series so far.

South Africa Preview

For South Africa, the ongoing series has been a medium to test players from the domestic circuit. They have successfully tested some of the young prospects. Connor Esterhuizen has been one of the revelations of the tour for the Proteas. The right-handed batter is leading the run-scoring charts, having scored 125 in four games. Esterhuizen has been the top scorer for South Africa in the two games they have won in the series. 

In the bowling department, skipper Keshav Maharaj and Gerald Coetzee have been crucial. Both of the bowlers have picked up six wickets each. However, it is Coetzee, with an economy of only 6.47 runs per over, who has managed to exert a lot of pressure on the New Zealand batters.

New Zealand Squad

James Neesham (C), Katene Clark, Tim Robinson (wk), Dane Cleaver, Bevon Jacobs, Nick Kelly, Josh Clarkson, Zakary Foulkes, Cole McConchie, Nathan Smith, Kyle Jamieson, Ben Sears, Jayden Lennox

South Africa Squad

Keshav Maharaj (C), Tony de Zorzi, Jason Smith, George Linde, Wiaan Mulder, Connor Esterhuizen (wk), Prenelan Subrayen, Dian Forrester, Gerald Coetzee, Ottneil Baartman, Lutho Sipamla, Rubin Hermann, Andile Simelane, Nqobani Mokoena

NZ vs SA: Head To Head

South Africa holds a massive lead when it comes to the head-to-head record between the two teams. The Proteas have won 14 of the 24 T20Is these teams have played against each other.